Season 3 of my podcast--The Grace Period--premiers next week. Download this week's preview anywhere you listen to your other favorite podcasts.

Tracking my hours this way--coupled with my daily, real-time tracking and time-entering habit--keeps the billable hour boogie man at bay.

Tracking and billing our time is just part of the job--it is that simple.

Now, off to bank those hours.

🔥❤️✌🏻

This is a mix of billable time (client work) and non-billable or investment time (mentoring, networking, DEI, recruiting, business development, professional development, firm work, administrative time, etc.).

My goal goal is simple: 200 hours a month, each month, for the next 12 months.

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January 2, 2025 -- the first business day of the year, so you know what time it is: my first billable hour check in of the new year.

My firm expects partners to track 2400 hours a year.

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It might now sound like it, but: In 2025, I want to do less. I've set myself up for that by saying no to things, transitioning away from certain commitments, and envisioning more spacious days.

✌🏻❤️🔥

👑 stick to my health plans and boundaries--blocking of time in the day to workout and eat mindfully (away from my desk) and sticking to this more days than not.

👑 hit 2,400 hours all in (again)--focusing on client work and new professional development opportunities, continuing to build my business and brand, and eliminating the investment hours that no longer serve me and my goals.

1.1.25 -- Here we go. This year, my theme is: optimize. I hope to calibrate and fine tune this year's efforts to:

👑 increase my firm metrics--steadily growing my working collections, managing collections, and new client collections.

My 2024 Rewind (brought to me by Coauthor--they nailed it):

My first year as partner taught me something powerful: success in big law isn't about hiding the hard parts--it's about being honest about them and building better ways forward.

Your clients are humans--they want human interaction from you--this includes being real with them and being real with them will build trust that allows you to lead them to follow your conclusions and recommendations.

🔥❤️✌🏻

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It builds in flexibility for new developments and strengthens the relationship.

There's no hiding the ball--and no pressure to do so--when you communicate clearly and honestly every step of the case.

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It is important to create an environment in which the client feels comfortable asking questions and trusts that you will give them clear and honest answers.

Reassessing and adjusting will happen. Open communication and expectation management allows you and your client to adapt.

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🫱🏻‍🫲🏻 changes in timing and strategy.

🫱🏻‍🫲🏻 strengths and weaknesses of the case--especially as new themes and information come to light.

🫱🏻‍🫲🏻 creating trust and transparency through honest and quick updates about setbacks and surprising decisions or outcomes.

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This occurs through regular check-ins. Yes, our ethical rules require this, but what about in practice?

Just as you have regular meetings with your litigation teams, you should have regular touchpoints with your clients, addressing:

🫱🏻‍🫲🏻 case progress--overall status and next steps.

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Setting client expectations from the outset is crucial to a successful attorney-client relationship, but what about as the case proceeds?

Explaining the realities of litigation to your clients upfront is not enough--it's an ongoing journey. 1/6